Individual Therapy

Individual therapy (sometimes called “psychotherapy” or “counseling”) is a process through which clients work with Stephen Terrell in a safe, caring, and confidential environment. Terrell works with a wide age range of clients from new-born to adults but all of his clients have one thing in common, Trauma. Terrell specializes in Developmental Trauma. Teens and adults usually work independently with Terrell but younger clients work with Terrell and at least one of the child’s parents or guardian in the session. Because of the ruptures in attachment caused by early trauma, Terrell believes having the parent present is essential for repairing early trauma. Individual Therapy is a place to explore your feelings, beliefs, or behaviors, work through challenging or influential memories, identify aspects of your life that you would like to change, better understand yourself and others, and work toward desired change.

People seek therapy for a wide variety of reasons, from coping with major life challenges or childhood trauma to dealing with depression or anxiety, to simply desiring personal growth and greater self-knowledge. Understanding the effects of Developmental Trauma and ways of working with non-verbal trauma is a true specialty. Terrell believes in moving chunks in therapy rather than mountains. Chunks seem to integrate into the system and last while mountains seem to just grow larger and have less long term effect on the client.

Step 1 How Do I Get Started?

Your first step is to call us at (512) 206-0260 or submit a request to schedule your initial appointment. You will be asked to provide some initial information over the telephone to help evaluate if Stephen Terrell is your best treatment option. Terrell works with clients and families from around the world. Your initial intake will either be done in the office or may be completed over Vsee. You may then be scheduled for an initial hour and a half intake session which provides an opportunity for you to build rapport with Terrell and provide him with some background about yourself and the reasons you are seeking counseling. In addition, during intake, Terrell will be able to answer your questions regarding services, fees, confidentiality and what to expect in therapy. Children are not present for the intake session but parents (both if the case) are expected to be present for the intake.

I am interested in developing a collaborative relationship with you in which we try to decide together what kind of treatment would be best for you.

However, not everyone will continue therapy with Terrell. Together, we decide if my approach works for you or your family. It is a time we both get to check out each other to ensure that we are a therapeutic fit. At the end of that first session, if we decide that it is in your best interest to move forward working with Terrell, you will be given a time slot for your therapy sessions (typically, the client and Terrell will meet once a week, and each session will last approximately 45 minutes). At your second appointment, you will begin working with Terrell to set goals for your therapy experience and then begin working together toward achieving them.

Step 2 Individual Initial Intake Session

The initial intake session is the first session in the counseling process. The duration is 90 minutes and takes place at Austin Attachment and Counseling Center.
During this session, you will have time to meet with Stephen Terrell to:

  • Express your goals for therapy
  • Give a detailed accounting of your history including your current concerns
  • Gain an understanding of treatment options and modalities used in therapy
  • Collaborate and determine the best plan to proceed and to determine if other services are going to be necessary in the community.

Please bring all completed intake forms and any other evaluations you may have to your first appointment. Use the buttons below to view the relevant intake forms.
If at the end of the intake, we both decide to work together, an ongoing appointment time will be determined.

Request An Appointment

Please choose the relevant option below to get started and request an appointment

New Client - Adult

Click the button below to request an appointment and fill out relevant forms for new clients that are adults.

New Client - Child

Click the button below to request an appointment and fill out relevant forms for new clients that are children.